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The toddler is now starting to chat like any other child and is making good progress towards being able to walk.

Mrs Higgins, 27, a social care student, said: ‘We are so proud of Leila and how she’s progressing. The doctors told us that she would never walk or talk but we wanted to prove the doctors wrong and show that no matter how bleak the diagnosis you can fight and improve.

‘When she said “daddy” for the first time it was a really emotional moment because all along we just prayed for her to be able to talk.

Leila Higgins was born a healthy 8lb 2oz but had a devastating postnatal stroke which remained undetected for nine months

‘We said, no matter what else, we just want her to be able to talk, so she can voice what she wants or needs.

‘We didn’t want her to be frustrated and not be able to voice if she was in pain or needed anything.

‘So, for her to cross that hurdle was massive, and we were so happy. It’s lovely to hear her having conversations now.

‘Her speech is now almost on par with any other child.’

Her parents, John and Libby Higgins, were horrified when doctors diagnosed a severe bleed on the right side of her brain which had caused extensive damage

She added: ‘Now Leila is improving all the time, and it’s just her walking that’s the next hurdle. She’s getting better and better with her progression towards walking too.

‘We hold her up by her arms and she kicks her legs out as if she wants to try and walk.

‘We’re hopeful that at some point in the future she will be able to walk, and prove the doctors wrong again.

‘She’s just like a normal two-year-old in terms of her development except her left-hand side is very stiff due to hemiplegia resulting from the stroke.

Her parents were told that Leila may never walk or talk and that she may have very limited development. Leila is pictured with her mother and father, John and Libby, and her sister, Zoe

‘She’s amazing, we’re so proud of her.’

Mrs Higgins and warehouseman husband John, 40, are also parents to three-year-old Zoe and live in Leeds.

Mrs Higgins said: ‘I remember the devastation when we heard the news from the consultant that Leila may never walk or talk.

‘We were literally numb, and didn’t know what was going to happen.

When Leila (pictured with her mother, Libby) was 18-months-old, she sat up unaided for the first time and uttered her first word - daddy

‘It was horrible being shown the pictures of the brain scan, and to be told she had suffered a major stroke, I can’t describe it.

‘We are a relatively healthy family with no history of strokes, so it was a complete shock.

‘But now, instead of seeing Leila’s condition as a negative thing, we have embraced it and it has enriched our lives.

Mrs Higgins said: 'I remember the devastation when we heard the news from the consultant that Leila may never walk or talk. We were literally numb, and didn't know what was going to happen'

Mrs Higgins said: 'We are so proud of Leila and how she's progressing. We wanted to prove the doctors wrong and show that no matter how bleak the diagnosis you can fight and improve'

‘Zoe knows how ill she was and she’s great with her. She’s been a fantastic big sister to her.

‘We are so proud to be Leila’s parents, to see what she has already achieved and we know she will do great things in the future.